LAUNDRY ARTICLE HAVING CLEANING AND CONDITIONING PROPERTIES

• US 20110232004A1
• Filed: 06/09/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Henkel AG & Co KGaA
• Original Assignee: Henkel AG & Co KGaA
• Inventors: Lin, Bin, Yu, Katherine, Hutmacher, Martina, Petkus, Matthew M., Sonnenschein, Frank, Meine, Georg, Vockenroth, Inga Kerstin
• Granted Patent: US 8,268,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/137
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/62 Quaternary ammonium compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/72 Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/835 Mixtures of non-ionic with cationic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/041 Compositions releasably affixed on a substrate or incorporated into a dispensing means
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/047 Arrangements specially adapted for dry cleaning or laundry dryer related applications
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/001 Softening compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2079 Monocarboxylic acids-salts thereof

Abstract

The present invention is a laundry article used for both cleaning and conditioning fabrics, which comprises a water-insoluble nonwoven substrate, coated with at least one zone each of a detergent composition and a fabric conditioning composition. The fabric conditioning composition comprises a quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant, an alkoxylated fatty alcohol, and a fatty acid.

Claims

1. A laundry article used for both cleaning and conditioning fabrics comprising:

a. a water-insoluble nonwoven substrate;

b. a detergent composition solidified on the substrate in at least one zone; and

,

c. a fabric conditioning composition solidified on the substrate in at least one zone,

wherein the fabric conditioning composition comprises a quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant, an alkoxylated fatty alcohol, and a fatty acid.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant is at a level from 10% by weight to 80% by weight of the fabric conditioning composition.

3. The article of claim 2, wherein the quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant is at a level from 25% by weight to 60% by weight of the fabric conditioning composition.

4. The article of claim 1, wherein the alkoxylated fatty alcohol is at a level from 1% by weight to 25% by weight of the fabric conditioning composition.

5. The article of claim 4, wherein the alkoxylated fatty alcohol is at a level from 5% by weight to 20% by weight of the fabric conditioning composition.

6. The article of claim 1, wherein the fatty acid is at least 20% by weight of the fabric conditioning composition.

7. The article of claim 6, wherein the fatty acid is at a level from 20% by weight to 35% by weight of the fabric conditioning composition.

8. The article of claim 1, wherein the fabric conditioning composition additionally comprises a fragrance.

9. The article of claim 1, wherein the alkoxylated fatty alcohol is selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated C₁₀-C₁₈ primary alcohols with 4 to 12 mol of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol, and propoxylated C₁₀-C₁₈ primary alcohols with 1 to 10 mol of propylene oxide per mole of alcohol, and mixtures thereof.

10. The article of claim 1, wherein the fatty acid is selected from the group consisting of caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, (hydrogenated) erucaic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, oleic acid, (hydrogenated) behenic acid, coconut fatty acid, palm kernel fatty acid, olive oil fatty acid, and tallow fatty acid, and mixtures thereof.

11. A method of producing the laundry article of claim 1, said method comprising the steps of:

a. melting a detergent composition;

b. melting a fabric conditioning composition comprising a quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant, an alkoxylated fatty alcohol and a fatty acid;

c. supplying a length of nonwoven substrate; and

,

d. coating said substrate with both the molten detergent composition and the molten fabric conditioning composition into at least one zone each and allowing the resulting detergent and fabric conditioning composition zones to cool and solidify on the substrate.

12. A method of washing and conditioning fabrics comprising the steps of:

a. supplying the laundry article of claim 1;

b. washing a load of fabrics in a laundry machine with said article;

c. removing the washed fabrics from said laundry machine along with said article;

d. transferring the fabrics into the dryer along with said article; and

,

e. drying said fabrics in the dryer along with said article.